An Unexpected Gift

by Brandon Carlisle

  Isaac beamed at her, "Andy is going to be ours!"

  I wasn't aware if anyone at his work knew of our plans, and wasn't sure if I should be embarrassed or annoyed that people I didn't know might be aware of our plans. She walked over to us and shook our hands. "That is wonderful. Alex!" She motioned to a guy sitting at a desk in the back of the room. "Take over for Isaac. His mind won't be with us for the rest of the day." When she turned back to us, she placed her hands on our shoulders. "Why don't you see your young man and have a family celebration?" Waving her hands at us as she smiled. "Go on, now. Shoo!"

  Isaac and I walked home, but when we arrived, we found a note that Andy was out with Abby in Buena Vista Park. The park was only a few blocks away, so we grabbed some cold sodas and trekked to where we knew they would be. As usual, the weather was gorgeous, and we found them in the clearing, Abby with her pencil in hand and Andy sitting patiently for her. His small, slender frame was dressed in a plain white T-shirt and baggy shorts. Now that the cast was removed, he was getting color in his forearm. Slightly reclined, he rested on his hands with his legs spread looking at the sky, his red hair filled with golden highlights from the sun. I could see Abby placing him in a tunic or flowing robes with a wreath of flowers in his hair, holding a lute in his hands. Yes, he could be a Caravaggio model.

  Andy must have felt himself being watched and drew his gaze toward our direction. He grinned when he saw us.

  Abby was about to reprimand him when she spotted us. "Hi, boys. What brings you away from your daytime slavery?"

  I turned to Isaac, and he motioned for me to answer, so I focused on Andy, waiting to see his reaction. "Well, we have some wonderful news. My attorney called and your parents have agreed to give up custody so you can stay with us. It's not official yet, as the court has to approve, but Arthur said it should just be a formality." He was about to get up, but stopped. "Andy?" I looked at Isaac and he shrugged. "We thought you would be happy?"

  "I am, Sebastian. It's just…, well…, my parents just gave me up. They don't care." He sat up and began to wipe his eyes with the back of his hand.

  Abby was by his side before we could move, wrapping her arms around him. He buried his face in her chest and let the tears fall freely. "There, there. What's important now is you can stay with all of us. We're your family now, and we love you."

  Resting my hand on his thigh as we sat next to Andy, I understood the harsh reality of what he said. "Andy, remember, you have a home with us for as long as you want. We love you, and we'll always be here for you."

  Once the sobbing subsided, he sat up and shook his head almost as if he were angry and mumbled. Grabbing the hem of his T-shirt he dried his face and looked at us. "I know. I really know that. It's just… hard to believe they don't care."

  *****

  It was a night for celebration and we decided we had to go out. I suggested the Hippo Restaurant, but was overruled by everyone who decided it was time for an outrageous night. We were all heading out to Hamburger Mary's. As much of an eye opener as it was when I was first there, I hadn't been back. When we walked through the door, nothing had changed. Mannequin arms extended from the walls displaying beaded necklaces, old photos, and a few risqué posters dotted the walls. The memorable drag queen who was my waitress the last time I was here with Leland and Ryan made her way to the table. Her sky-high flaming red beehive was now platinum blond with a flip, her prominent makeup still intact.

  When she approached our table she gave me a quizzical look before taking in the rest of the group and zeroing in on Andy. "You are gonna be a heart breaker when you grow up. Come back in a few years so I can see how you turned out." Giving Andy a wink she pulled out her order pad. "Welcome to Hamburger Mary's, what can I get ya?"

  Going around the table each of us ordered assorted hamburgers with fries. When it came to Andy's turn, he ordered a chili cheeseburger with fries, a side order of onion rings, and a chocolate shake. After ordering he looked at us, "Can I order dessert later?"

  I must have had an expression of horror on my face as Isaac burst out laughing. Abby patted my arm, "He's a growing boy, and it is a special day of celebration for him. Let him have dessert." I turned to her, and she winked. "Since I sold that painting for an obscene amount of money, dinner is on me." Looking at Andy, she wiggled a finger at him. "If you keep eating like that, you will end up modeling for me as a cherub."

  "Huh?"

  She looked at us and winked. "We definitely need to improve his education." She turned back to him, holding his chin between her fingers. "A cherub is a chubby, low-level angel."

  Andy pouted, "You mean fat."

  She chuckled, "We call them pleasingly plump nowadays."

  The waitress brought our drinks and Andy plopped his straw in and began to drink. We chatted until the meal came and then, when Andy took a break from his shake, Isaac raised his glass. "To Andy officially becoming a member of our family." He looked at Andy and I saw the tears well up. "You are loved and we promise to give you every opportunity to succeed in life. Cheers."

  Andy flushed at the toast and I could see all the attention embarrassed him, but he surprised me raising what was left of his chocolate shake. "Sebastian, Isaac, I promise to do my best to make you guys proud of me. Abby, you are like the grandma I never had. Thanks for taking the time to teach me about art. I won't let you down."

  CHAPTER SIX

  Milestones and Potential

  Isaac

  When Sunday arrived, Andy was jazzed. He knew we were celebrating his birthday, expecting the four of us, Abby included, to dine at The Bay View restaurant, the best restaurant in the city, atop The Exeter House on Nob Hill. This is the hotel Leland bought a few years earlier. We told Andy we would have a special dinner that evening, but we would take him out later that afternoon. He dressed in brown casual pants with a green paisley gypsy shirt with puffy sleeves. In the back of my mind I expected the red boots he cherished. I was surprised by the plain brown shoes we bought him at the Florsheim store on Market Street. Still, he made quite a statement, and I had to admit he looked great.

  When he left for Abby's flat just before lunch, the plan was for him to remain upstairs until it was time to make his appearance. She was to keep him occupied with drawing lessons or modeling lessons in the makeshift living room, and away from all the windows. We decided that an afternoon gathering would work out best for everyone. The garden was in bloom and the forecast was sunny and warm. It was important that Andy be the center of attention, and that he be exposed to our wide variety of friends and acquaintances.

  It was to be a surprise birthday party, but now it was also a celebration of the newest member of our family. We knew he felt awkward with the things we did for him, so our birthday gift was a simple one. We bought him an Atari gaming console with a bunch of oddly named games to give him once the party was over.

  Since his arrival, we have limited our socializing and volunteering. Now was the perfect time for us to catch up with friends and let Andy see how he could be anything his heart desired. We hadn't seen Diego and Paul since the parade, and Leland and Ryan since the hospital. Jason who was a teacher at Galileo High School and his partner Mickey was a furniture maker, who we met while working on Harvey's campaign for the upcoming election. Sebastian even invited our reclusive tenants from the top floor. I was curious if they would show as we never saw them, let alone spoke to them. I agreed to our catering the party so Andy and we could spend the day with our guests. Sebastian had ordered every type of food imaginable. We even had sushi, although I never could understand the appeal. There was lasagna, fried chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, and even some unidentifiable vegetarian dish. He even wanted to include sirloin steak, but I vetoed it. I thought that would be overboard for our crowd. There were enough side dishes and salads to appeal to everyone's taste.

  I asked Leland to invite several of his business friends to the party. Another part of our plan for the afternoon was to show Andy the variety of career o
pportunities we had in the world. Knowing his own interest, Abby also brought several of her artist and teacher friends from Lowell High School.

  When we sent out the invitations, we stressed that this was Andy's birthday, and that gifts were to be donations to Angel House, per his request. When we asked about getting him a birthday present, he said he'd rather we get something for Angel House. We also specified in the invitation that every attendee introduced themself to our guest of honor, and to make a point of including him in conversation. Andy's secluded life back in Arkansas kept him from seeing the possibilities of his future, and we pulled all stops out for his day.

  We scheduled the party for two this afternoon. The caterers arrived at noon and they set the tables up and the food was in the warmers by a quarter past one. By one thirty almost all the guests had arrived and Sebastian was jumping out of his skin. By one forty-five I called Abby to bring Andy down. A few minutes later the back door opened, and before I could say anything, Sebastian squealed as everyone turned around. Running up to Andy he threw his arms around the shocked boy, holding him tight.

  It took only a moment for the reality to set in as Sebastian let him go. Andy was beaming as the crowd shouted, "Happy Birthday!".

  "You guys did this for me?"

  "This is all for you, Andy." Sebastian's eyes were wet with emotion. "There are people from every walk of life here: teachers, business people, and artists. We wanted you to see you can be anything you want. Everyone is here especially for you."

  We overwhelmed Andy with all the attention, but the biggest surprise was ours. It was how much he was enjoying it. As people introduced themselves, and talked about who they were, he listened with rapt attention, and I saw a confidence grow in him that made me swell with pride. The way he spoke and asked questions, taking an interest in what they said, was a joy to see. I know he had little interest in business, but, even though he was the guest of honor, he acted like a good host, paying attention to everyone. Eventually, I had to drag Sebastian away so we could mingle with our guests.

  "This is a wonderful thing you guys are doing."

  I turned around and Leland and Ryan were smiling. I tapped Sebastian on the shoulder. He turned around and handed me his glass so he could hug Leland. "I wondered if we would have time to talk."

  Ryan grinned at me and shrugged his shoulders. "It is quite a turnout."

  "Sebastian and I wanted Andy to see what his life could be like. See all the possibilities."

  Lifting his glass, Ryan motioned to the crowd gathered. "I think you accomplished that."

  "Ryan?" Leland reached out for his hand. "Shall we find the guest of honor and say hello?"

  Sebastian leaned over and gave Ryan a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you both for coming. We'll catch up more later on." As they made their way through the crowd Sebastian squeezed my hand. "I'm so glad they made it. I really love them."

  "Sebby, I don't think they would have missed this for the world."

  One thing that hadn't changed was Andy's appetite. The bottomless pit of a teenager's stomach was on full display, and I worried he would get sick. As the afternoon waned our special guest arrived. We agreed that today was the day Andy could look forward and see the possibilities ahead of him. That being the case, Felicia Niles arrived as planned. We told her to come through the side entrance to the back.

  Felicia was a former student of Abby's at Lowell High School. She got a teaching degree and was waiting for placement at one of the local schools. We met her upstairs a week ago in Abby's flat and were drawn to her professionalism and warmth. Explaining that Andy never finished the ninth grade, we hoped that her tutoring would help in his starting school again in the spring. She explained that Lowell High School was extremely competitive in placement, and transitioning mid-term in January would be difficult. She could tutor him and assess his skills for placement and let us know early on if he would qualify for Lowell in the fall. Then the decision was up to the school as to acceptance. The fact that Abby was a former teacher and would recommend him would help in his placement. Sebastian told her he and several others would also provide references as to Andy's recent accomplishments.

  I drifted over to Andy when we thought we were ready for introductions. He was engaged in an animated conversation with Paul. Paul and Diego dressed casually for the afternoon. They wore matching outfits. Black leather shorts, a T-shirt displaying a silhouette of two men kissing, and patent leather black boots.

  Andy grabbed Paul's hand. "I have a pair of red boots that would make you envious.", Andy grinned.

  Paul waved his hand in the air. "Miss thing! I think I have the perfect outfit to go with those boots. What size do you wear?"

  "Can I interrupt this momentous discussion?" I regretted having to break in. I was curious to find out the results of their talk. "Andy? Sebastian and I have someone we would like you to meet."

  "Sure." He turned back to Paul, "I want to hear about your outfit. Don't go anywhere."

  *****

  I led Andy up to the deck where the rest of our group was gathered. "Andy, this is Felicia Niles. We are hiring her as your tutor if you don't object."

  Andy looked at me, then Sebastian, before settling his gaze on Felicia. He reached out to shake her hand. "Hi." When he turned back to us, he looked confused. "Why should I object?"

  Our expressions must have betrayed our lack of a way to address his question, Felicia stepped in to rescue us. "Do you mind if I call you Andy?"

  "Ummm… no."

  "Sebastian and Isaac thought it would help transition you for school here. I would tutor you through next summer. If everything works out, you should be able to complete your ninth grade with me and then enroll in the tenth grade at Lowell High School in the fall."

  "Really!" There was a mixture of shock and pleasure in his expression. "If I study really hard through the summer could I skip a grade and start in the eleventh?"

  Felicia chuckled at his reaction. "No. You won't skip a grade. I will tutor you to finish your ninth-grade requirements."

  Andy looked at us. The confidence from earlier was gone. "Do you guys think I can do it?"

  Sebastian stroked his hair as I laid a hand on his shoulder. "You can do it. Sebastian and I believe in you. Felicia gave us a list of the materials you will need when she comes over later in the week to begin. She told us where we can pick them up."

  Once the party wound down, and all the guests departed, we adjourned to the living room to give him his present. Sebastian retrieved it from our bedroom and sat next to him on the sofa. Abby sat in one of the arm chairs.

  I cleared my throat. "We hope you like it. It's been a while since we were teenagers and so many things have changed."

  Andy was hesitant to grab it, and we saw tears forming and worried we made a mistake. Sebastian looked at me and we were not sure what to do. "What's wrong?"

  "Wrong? Nothing's wrong. That's what's wrong."

  I turned to Sebastian, lost, motioning for him to say something. He put a hand on Andy's shoulder, "We don't understand. Can you explain why you are upset?"

  "Jeez, guys. It's not you. I just… I'm not your kid and you're doing all this for me. The party, the tutor, and now this. I don't understand."

  Now I understood. "Andy, we care about you, and we want you to be a part of our family. This is what people do when they care about someone."

  His tears flowed and Sebastian wrapped his arms around him as he held onto his present. "Andy." I sat on the edge of the coffee table and held his chin up so he would look at me. "Why don't you open your present?"

  He started to wipe his eyes and nose with the back of his hand.

  "None of that!" Abby leaned forward and handed him a handkerchief. "Between that and ain't we will teach you some manners." Then she laughed.

  We all joined in as he unwrapped his gift. When he saw it, he smiled and then it turned into a frown. "Guys… this… this is really cool, but I'd rather be painting or drawing than sitting in front of a
TV with this."

  "Oh!" Sebastian's shocked face would have been funny under other circumstances.

  "If it doesn't interest you, maybe we can give it to someone." I gave Andy the option and crossed my fingers in my mind.

  "Maybe we could give it to Angel House, along with a TV? The one they have is crap."

  Just the choice I hoped he'd make. "Sebastian?"

  "You are right. The TV they have is crap. It is almost an antique."

  Sebastian looked at me and stood. "I need to call Arthur. Something has been bothering me and I just realized what it is. He won't be in but I can leave a message. He needs to find someone to scout a place suitable for a medical clinic. The more I think about it the more I know that neighborhood needs a full-time clinic. There isn't room for one in Angel House so we need to have Arthur find a place suitable for one nearby. He also needs to push ahead with the foundation paperwork." He dashed off to the kitchen.

  "That is just like Sebastian. Get used to it."

  He returned a few minutes later with a smile on his face. "Sorry about that. I'll go in late tomorrow so I can drop the game thingy off, and later this week we can buy a TV for the center."

  I looked at the clock on the table and realized we would be late for our reservation for dinner. "Is anybody hungry?" We really stuffed ourselves all afternoon.

  Andy looked up, "I'm a little hungry, but not enough to go out to eat."

  Sebastian glanced around the room as we all nodded. "I'll cancel the reservation."

  *****

  Monday was a tough one for Sebastian. Arthur called us first thing Monday to say there was a lot of paperwork and permits required to create the clinic. Nothing could happen until we settled on a location. He could move forward with the foundation paperwork right away if Sebastian could give him the names of the board members and basic financial information. The foundation could then establish separate charities based on what Sebastian decided and give the initial funding. When Arthur told him this he groaned and told him to take care of it.